2011 – Year end review by insiders – Part II

2011 reviewed by insiders Hadley Peterson, co-founder of e-store Tada!shop (USA), Ian Reynolds, Founder of children’s clothing brand Pale Cloud (Sweden), Helena Amourdedieu, Founder of PR Agency Agence Violette (Paris, France), Roxane Delgado, founder of e-store Maromeria (USA), Tia Cibani, Founder of Kicokids (USA)

Hadley Peterson, co-founder of e-store Tada!shop (USA)

The names to remember from 2011?

In children’s fashion : Nellystella – NicoNico (I cannot wait for her Spring line) – Bobo Choses – Native Shoes – Atsuyo et Akiko’s collaboration with Disney – C de C – Stella MCartney

In design : Smiling Planet; I want everything they produce! – Jess Brown has been busy! With a window display at Bottega Veneta with life size dolls and her recent book release with Stephanie Rausser. It’s going to every little girl on my list this Christmas. – I was so excited to see Nutcase Helmets. I had been resolved to the fact that there were just no cool bike helmets until I saw these. – Land of Nod and Restoration Hardware’s kids catalogs were exceptional this year – Maileg’s toy offering continues to impress and their mouse in a box is a best-seller on tada!

In retail : If I could make up a street full of my favorite stores, it would be Bird, Sweet William, ABC Home, Rag & Bone, Barneys, Smallable, Canvas, Pearl River, Mecox Gardens (NYC), Powell’s Books (Portland), Terrain (Philadelphia), Bobo Kids (London), The Ark Toy Store (SF) and J.Crew.

In other categories : I love Pinterest. Just downloaded Goop’s city guides, excited to use those.

Something in the world actuality that you want to comment? Hurricane Irene. We were on vacation in the Adirondacks (where we go every year) and it got hit really hard. People’s homes and businesses wrecked. It put everything in perspective as our own basement playroom was destroyed and we were without power for 8 days, but it pailed in comparison to what others had lost and made my kids and me realize how lucky we are.

The cultural hits of 2011? I am a sucker for romantic comedies and while I am not claiming them to be award winners, two this year I have watched more than once are No Strings Attached and Crazy, Stupid, Love. As for books, my two favorites this year were The Paris Wife and Cutting for Stone. I recently watched The Help with my girls and while some of it was above their head, they understood the way it was and how we can make a change just in how we treat the people we come in contact with everyday. And happy me, 2012 means Mad Men is back! Also to be mentioned is the new Children’s Museum of the Arts. It has been a favorite of our family’s and now with their new space, we are excited to visit over winter break.

Ian Reynolds, Founder of children’s clothing brand Pale Cloud (Sweden)

The names to remember from 2011?

Children’s fashion seems to be attracting some very big brands but I am not convinced they are all dedicated to fashion for the young ones. From what we have seen so far, Lanvin stands out both in its design, fabrics used and promotional imagery. The brand I would love to see children’s fashion from would be Chanel but I am not sure that will never happen. The Chanel Pre Fall 2012 collection recently shown in Paris was fantastic and for someone who states that they never been to India, Karl Lagerfeld interpreted the emotion, colour and detail wonderfully.

In the home decor, toys & furniture section I am afraid the best items are from the past and mostly of Scandinavian origin. In my house you will find furniture from Arne Jacobsen, light fittings from Poul Henningsen, toys from Brio and home decor from too many brands to mention but you will find them all in Illum!

Most of the retail experiences I have had recently has been in the old stores but old stores that do things very well. There are a few that are musts for me when I am in their town – Liberty London, Barneys New York, Illum Copenhagen & Colette Paris. Their dedication to fashion is clear and no matter how old the bricks are, you will always find something new inside.

There are some online business that never fail to impress me with how fast they can get your purchase to you and how well they market with just the sort of things you are tempted to buy. I think we are very close to a Blade Runner world where billboards will see you coming, know who you are and make sure they present the best product to you!

The explosion in applications for the iPhone and iPad have been incredible this year but the one I find myself using most often is Flipboard. It’s like having a  magazine, completely personalised for you that’s updated every second of the day!

When I bought my iPad, I genuinely thought it was for me but our 2 year old daughter has taken it over. We find if you choose the apps properly, you get a first class learning tool that children’s find hard to put down. We are constantly amazed at what she can do with it and hope to train her to answer emails very soon!

Something in the world actuality that you want to comment?

There is only one thought in my head when you ask about shock and that’s the awful events in Oslo during the summer. This massacre had a huge impact worldwide and can be compared to 9/11 or the JFK assassination. The terror caused to these children must have been like nothing we could imagine and the shock was multiplied because it happen in Norway, a place where this sort of thing just does not happen! I remember exactly where I was when I heard about it…….

The cultural hits of 2011?

This year I have been listening to Sivert Høyem who was previously with Madrugada, before they broke up after the death of a band member. Siverts music is well worth looking out for and if you can find a video of his number at the Nobel Peace Concert this year, you will be deeply impressed.

Helena Amourdedieu, Founder of PR Agency Agence Violette (Paris, France)

The names to remember from 2011?

In children’s fashion : I think the Spanish label Bobo Choses have a really interesting collection of accessible clothing for children. It’s beautifully designed, practical, fun and yet subtle…

In design : I’ve recently discovered the collection of wallpaper by Minakani. It’s exciting to discover young French designers doing wallpaper, there aren’t so many over here! Their designs are very bold, with strong use of colour and motif.

In retail : there’s been an explosion of ‘ventes ephémères’ (pop-up stores) in Paris. It’s a great way of supporting and buying directly from young designers!

In other categories : “Meet my Project”, a small trade fair in Paris which is held around the same time as Maison & Objet. I think it’s great that smaller fairs are popping up, it would be great if this trend could continue – to help encourage a “Paris Design Week” open to young designers and not dominated by the big brand names.

Something in the world actuality that you want to comment?

The birth of my second child, Alfred in August. He is just wonderful.

The cultural hits of 2011?

It’s not new but this year I discovered a band called Camera Obscura and their album “Let’s get out of this country”… It’s rare for me to come upon a group that I really fall in love with, which was the case here.

A trend to remember?

I’m really enjoying the use of natural materials in design, such as wood and cork.

Roxane Delgado, founder of e-store Maromeria (USA)

The names to remember from 2011?

In fashion : I would like to mention the brands that bring us “magia” and nostalgia for quality and playfulness as well as a true notion of timelessness. These are clothes that are created for children like WOVENPLAY, SOFTGALLERY,  NATALIE VERLINDEN shoes, GOATMILK underwear, ANN VALERIE HASH dresses, MAAN color perfection, FOURNIER knits concept and the classic silhouettes from MATTEO.

In design :  When it came to great design, names like KALON STUDIOS, NONOBJETABLE, PERLUDI and NINEtoNINE stood out. Playtime? This brands made me feel like a child again: LUCKY BOY SUNDAY, RIJADA, GG Toys from Japan, the iPad application for little ones PLIC-PLOC and WIZ by Pepillo. Some remarkable books were WILD ANIMAL by Wilde Dieren, and The Books of the Penguin Threads series, all of them.

Other : It was also great to see the new NOWNESS magazine concept.

The cultural hits of 2011?

This year I discovered several movies and expositions that made a impact in many ways.

– “Blame it on Fidel” by Julie Gravas.

– Bill Cunnigham New York movie by  Richard Press.

– The amazing DESK Project from Kids of Kathmandu, a non-profit organization that utilizes photography and the arts to raise awareness about the needs of orphans in Kathmandu, Nepal.

– Talk to Me, an exhibit at MoMA July 24–November 7, 2011, exploring the future-present.

Tia Cibani, Founder of Kicokids (USA)

The names to remember from 2011?

In Fashion : for women, I love the Merry Katranzou collection. Although there is such a minimalist trend going on in the market, she manages to find a way to express opulence in a young and modern way which I find very refreshing.

In design : for home décor, since I just recently renovated my home, I am totally in the spirit of construction, I love the Valcucine kitchens. I searched all of the great kitchen makers of the world and fell in love with Valcuccine’s minimalism and great function. I have never been a cook in the past…and now..I am experimenting all of the time. My kitchen has become my playpen.

In retail : I still love the Dover Street Market the best. Have yet to find another store like it. I do love Barney’s new look in NY…very happy to see something fresh.

Something in the world actuality that you want to comment?

The revolution in Libya was very moving for me as I am originally from Libya. I was born there but grew up in Canada. No matter that I have been away for so long, when I heard about the uprisings and the possibility of a different future for the people of Libya, I was very moved. I was particularly proud to know that the entire movement was founded by women. A single mother and her supporters decided to demonstrate at the city hall to demand the freedom of her son who is a human rights lawyer. He was arrested for his efforts to find resolution for an imprisonment and massacre of innocent lives that took place years before. His brother had been one of the victims of the event. It was this woman/mother who was brave and determined, who then inspired the entire population of a country under severe dictatorship for over 40 years. INCREDIBLE!

The cultural hits of 2011?

I went to the armory art show in NY just some months ago and fell in love with the works of Roxy Paine. Striking, inventive and contemporary.

A trend to remember?

Sailor stripes, cropped trousers, grey/grey/grey (loving all shades of grey for home and fashion).

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Clic here to see last year’s article “Bye bye 2000-2010, hello to a new decade!” and come back on Pirouette for more “Year-End interviews” by industry insiders including Corina Papadopoulo (Kidsen), Laura Turner (CWB), Molly Price (Molly Meg), Shiva Shabani & Calvin Yu (Sons+ Daughters), Rachel Faucett (Handmade Charlotte), Nicole Yee (Stylesight)…